TOKYOMay 21 (News On Japan) – Thanks to an extraordinary promotion, 22-year-old Rino Morosawa has risen from part-time worker to CEO. She is now the new president of Skyscraper, a company that operates CoCo Ichibanya Curry House franchises. Here’s the story behind her meteoric rise to the top in just seven years.
As of this month, Morosawa will serve as president of Skyscraper, a company that runs 18 CoCo Ichibanya stores in Tokyo, Gunma and other locations, with annual sales of about 2 billion yen and about 400 employees. On her first day as CEO, May 1, Morosawa expressed her enthusiasm: โI am very motivated and love everyone here. I look forward to working with all of you. Thank you.’
The day after taking on her role, Morosawa was seen in her uniform, actively performing customer service and preparation duties in one of the stores. Despite being CEO, she moved around the store more than anyone else.
Morosawa started working part-time at CoCo Ichibanya during her freshman year of high school. She appeared in the company’s PR videos and had a passion for customer service. After graduating high school, she continued to work part-time and at the age of 19, she received the title of Customer Service Specialist, becoming the youngest to earn the title of โCustomer Service Specialist.โ
Her life changed during a celebratory event, which she said, “I was excited and thought, if I’m qualified, I’d love to do it.” Remarkably, she became CEO in just seven years. However, she admits she has faced significant challenges, especially in managing sales targets and controlling food costs.
Reflecting on her promotion, the store manager she admires said: ‘It’s not about having qualifications. It’s about working together to develop the business and the stores.โ Morosawa is determined to follow this approach.
Skyscraper Chairman Nishiwaki, who selected Morosawa for the role of CEO, cited essential qualities such as reliability, love for the company, dedication to on-site work and honesty. Nishiwaki noted that age and gender were not factors in the decision. Having no management experience, Morosawa underwent a two-year training program from the age of 20, during which she learned various aspects of business management.
The new CEO has already started making changes, such as offering eyelash perming vouchers as gifts to female employees in place of traditional holiday dinners. This approach has impressed Nishiwaki, who believes it is crucial to understand what employees value.
Looking ahead, Morosawa wants to remain a hands-on CEO, saying, “I want to be a president who works with everyone, sweats together and says, ‘We did well today.'” She also plans to open a new store with her own efforts by the end of the year.
Morosawa’s achievements and positive attitude show that age is no barrier to leadership. Her journey is seen by the company as a bold and challenging step, and her willingness to learn and grow inspires support and encouragement from those around her.
Source: TBS
